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more than the ministers； and in each bureau he knows as much as the
clerks。 〃On his table＇58＇ lie reports of the positions of his forces
on land and on water。 He has furnished the plans of these； and fresh
ones are issued every month〃； such is the daily reading he likes best。
〃I have my reports on positions always at hand； my memory for an
Alexandrine is not good； but I never forget a syllable of my reports
on positions。 I shall find them in my room this evening； and I shall
not go to bed until I have read them。〃
He always knows 〃his position〃 on land and at sea better than is known
in the War and Navy departments； better even than his staff…officers
the number； size； and qualities of his ships in or out of port； the
present and future state of vessels under construction； the
composition and strength of their crews； the formation； organization；
staff of officers； material； stations； and enlistments； past and to
come； of each army corps and of each regiment。 It is the same in the
financial and diplomatic services； in every branch of the
administration； laic or ecclesiastical； in the physical order and in
the moral order。 His topographical memory and his geographical
conception of countries； places； ground； and obstacles culminate in an
inward vision which he evokes at will； and which； years afterwards；
revives as fresh as on the first day。 His calculation of distances；
marches； and maneuvers is so rigid a mathematical operation that；
frequently； at a distance of two or four hundred leagues；＇59＇ his
military foresight； calculated two or four months ahead； turns out
correct； almost on the day named； and precisely on the spot
designated。＇60＇ Add to this one other faculty； and the rarest of all。
For； if things turn out as he foresaw they would； it is because； as
with great chess…players； he has accurately measured not alone the
mechanical moves of the pieces； but the character and talent of his
adversary； 〃sounded his draft of water；〃 and divined his probable
mistakes。 He has added the calculation of physical quantities and
probabilities to the calculation of moral quantities and
probabilities； thus showing himself as great a psychologist as he is
an accomplished strategist。 In fact； no one has surpassed him in the
art of judging the condition and motives of an individual or of a
group of people； the real motives； permanent or temporary； which drive
or curb men in general or this or that man in particular； the
incentives to be employed； the kind and degree of pressure to be
employed。 This central faculty rules all the others； and in the art
of mastering Man his genius is found supreme。
III。 His acute Understanding of Others。
His psychological faculty and way of getting at the thought and
feeling of others。… His self…analysis。 … How he imagines a general
situation by selecting a particular case； imagining the invisible
interior by deducting from the visible exterior。 … Originality and
superiority of his style and discourse。 … His adaptation of these to
his hearers and to circumstances。 … His notation and calculation of
serviceable motives。
No faculty is more precious for a political engineer； for the forces
he acts upon are never other than human passions。 But how； except
through divination； can these passions； which grow out of the deepest
sentiments； be reached？ How； save by conjecture； can forces be
estimated which seem to defy all measurement？ On this dark and
uncertain ground； where one has to grope one's way； Napoleon moves
with almost absolute certainty； he moves promptly。 First of all； he
studies himself； indeed； to find one's way into another's soul
requires； preliminarily； that one should dive deep into one's own。＇61＇
〃I have always delighted in analysis；〃 said he； one day； 〃and should I
ever fall seriously in love I would take my sentiment to pieces。 Why
and How are such important questions one cannot put them to one's self
too often。〃
〃It is certain；〃 writes an observer； 〃that he； of all men； is the one
who has most meditated on the why which controls human actions。〃
His method； that of the experimental sciences； consists in testing
every hypothesis or deduction by some positive fact； observed by him
under definite conditions； a physical force being ascertained and
accurately measured through the deviation of a needle； or through the
rise and fall of a fluid； this or that invisible moral force can
likewise be ascertained and approximately measured through some
emotional sign； some decisive manifestation； consisting of a certain
word； tone； or gesture。 It is these words； tones； and gestures which
he dwells on； he detects inward sentiments by the outward expression；
he figures to himself the internal by the external； by some facial
appearance； some telling attitude； some brief and topical scene； by
such specimen and shortcuts； so well chosen and detailed that they
provide a summary of the innumerable series of analogous cases。 In
this way； the vague； fleeting object is suddenly arrested； brought to
bear； and then gauged and weighed； like some impalpable gas collected
and kept in a graduated transparent glass tube。 … Accordingly； at the
Council of State； while the others； either jurists or administrators；
see abstractions； articles of the law and precedents； he sees people
as they are … the Frenchman； the Italian； the German； that of the
peasant； the workman； the bourgeois； the noble； the returned
émigré；＇62＇ the soldier； the officer and the functionary … everywhere
the individual man as he is； the man who plows； manufactures； fights；
marries； brings forth children； toils； enjoys himself； and dies。 …
Nothing is more striking than the contrast between the dull； grave
arguments advanced by the wise official editor； and Napoleon's own
words caught on the wing； at the moment； vibrating and teeming with
illustrations and imagery。＇63＇ Apropos of divorce； the principle of
which he wishes to maintain：
〃Consult； now； national manners and customs。 Adultery is no
phenomenon； it is common enough … une affaire de canapé 。 。 。 There
must be some curb on women who commit adultery for trinkets； poetry；
Apollo； and the muses； etc。〃
But if divorce be allowed for incompatibility of temper you undermine
marriage； the fragility of the bond will be apparent the moment the
obligation is contracted；
〃it is just as if a man said to himself； 'I am going to marry until I
feel different。' 〃
Nullity of marriage must not be too often allowed； once a marriage is
made it is a serious matter to undo it。
〃Suppose that； in marrying my cousin just arrived from the Indies； I
wed an adventuress。 She bears me children； and I then discover she is
not my cousin … is that marriage valid？ Does not public morality
demand that it should be so considered？ There has been a mutual
exchange of hearts； of transpiration。〃
On the right of children to be supported and fed although of age； he
says：
〃Will you allow a father to drive a girl of fifteen out of his house？
A father worth 60；000 francs a year might say to his son； 'You are
stout and fat； go and turn plowman。' The children of a rich father； or
of one in good circumstances； are always entitled to the paternal
porridge。 Strike out their right to be fed； and you compel children
to murder their parents。〃
As to adoption ：
〃You regard this as law…makers and not as statesmen。 It is not a
civil contract nor a judicial contract。 The analysis （of the jurist）
leads to vicious results。 Man is governed by imagination only；
without imagination he is a brute。 It is not for five cents a day；
simply to distinguish himself； that a man consents to be killed； if
you want to electrify him touch his heart。 A notary； who is paid a
fee of twelve francs for his services； cannot do that。 It requires
some other process； a legislative act。 Adoption； what is that？ An
imitation by which society tries to counterfeit nature。 It is a new
kind of sacrament。 。 。 。 Society ordains that the bones and blood
of one being shall be changed into the bones and blood of another。 It
is the greatest of all legal acts。 It gives the sentiments of a son
to one who never had them； and reciprocally those of a parent。 Where
ought this to originate？ From on high； like a clap of thunder ！〃
All his expressions are bright flashes one after another。＇64＇ Nobody；
since Voltaire and Galiani； has launched forth such a profusion of
them； on society； laws； government； France and the French； some
penetrate and explain； like those of Montesquieu； as if with a flash
of lightening。 He does not hammer them out laboriously； but they
burst forth； the outpourings of his intellect； its natural；
involuntary； constant action。 And what adds to their value is that；
outside of councils and private conversations； he abstains from them；
employing them only in the service o